Hammond Travel Guide

  Typical Hammond Scene
by riorich55
 
  • Typical Hammond Scene
      Typical Hammond Scene
    by riorich55
  • Entrance to the park
      Entrance to the park
    by riorich55
  • Old Station Wagon in the Parking Lot
      Old Station Wagon in the Parking Lot
    by riorich55
  • A Couple of Bird Houses in the Woods
      A Couple of Bird Houses in the Woods
    by riorich55
  • Hungry??
      Hungry??
    by riorich55
 

Explore Hammond

Things to Do  

Environmental Education Center

Environmental Education Center, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  The Environmental Education Center is housed in a mutlicolored building covered with a gigantic fish on one side and a gigantic bee on another. Popular with school groups and other youth organizations, it's worth a peek inside to see the indoor trout stream with fully... 

Little Red Schoolhouse

Little Red Schoolhouse, Hammond

 sambarnett Says:  Constructed in 1869, the Little Red Schoolhouse is one of the oldest buildings in Hammond. Notice the difference in the lower and upper halves of the wall. Builders started with limestone but transporting the stone proved too expensive and midway through construction a clay... 

Hotels  

Restaurants  

Phil Smidt's: Hammond dining institution

Phil Smidt's: Hammond dining institution, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  October 20, 2007, Phil Smidt's closed their doors after 97 years of business. It's a shame but after 2002 when the Probst family sold the business, it never really was quite the same restaurant.Named after its original owner, Phil Smidt's opened in 1910 in Roby Indiana. The... 

Anthony's Cafe: Creative Cuisine

Anthony's Cafe: Creative Cuisine, Hammond

 riorich55 Says:  On business trips, I have the reputation of the "guy of finds the good restaurants". So with my reputation on the line last week I did a little study and came up with this little gem of a restaurant in downtown Highland (a suburb of Hammond?), actually just off Kennedy... 

Jack Binion's Steakhouse: High priced steaks for high rollers

Jack Binion's Steakhouse: High priced steaks for high rollers, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  Jack Binion's Steakhouse is located at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, although it's very close to where I live this is the 1st time that I've been there as the prices are higher here than even the big name steakhouses in Chicago. When I saw that they were participating in... 

Blue Room Cafe: Coffee and lunch in downtown Hammond

Blue Room Cafe: Coffee and lunch in downtown Hammond, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  There aren't a lot of places to get coffee or food in downtown Hammond so the Blue Room Cafe was a welcome addition when they opened a location here. What I really like about the cafe and it's owner John Vezmar, is that they are very active in promoting music in downtown... 

El Taco Real: Family run Mexican restaurant

El Taco Real: Family run Mexican restaurant, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  El Taco Real is our go to place for Mexican, we get carry out from here at least once or twice a month on Friday or Saturday night when we're looking to stay in and watch movies. One of these days I'll have to go and actually eat inside the restaurant! El Taco Real has been... 

Nightlife  

The Venue: Live performances

The Venue: Live performances, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  The Venue is a live music venue opened in July 2008 at the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond. They've had some really big name acts like the Smashing Pumpkins and Stone Temple Pilots perform there, the live acts range from big name comedians like Jay Leno, Joel McHale and Bill... 

Towle Theater: Short run theater

Towle Theater: Short run theater, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  I drive by the Towle Theater every day on the way to work and often say to myself that we should get tickets to this performance or that performance but never quite get around to it but we finally went to a performance when The Ship of Fools, a West Lafayette improv comedy... 

Transportation  

South Shore
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South Shore train

The South Shore railroad has connections to Chicago and as far east as South Bend, Indiana. It generally runs on time but there are construction delays from time to time and service in bad weather-rain or extreme cold-can be delayed.

The ride to downtown Chicago is about 40 minutes. There are two major stops in Chicago-Van Buren/Michigan at the south end of the loop (good for visiting the Art Institute and the Museum campus) and Randolph/Michigan at the north end (good for visiting Michigan Avenue shopping, State Street shopping, Millennium Park). There are also stops at Pullman and 12th St./Roosevelt Rd (Shedd, Field, Soldier Field).

Tickets are cheaper if you buy them at the station during busy hours, an additional $1 is tacked on if you buy on the train.

Regular commuters can buy 10 ride passes (no discount), 25 ride (slight discount) and monthly passes.

There are reduced one way fares for children 13 or younger, seniors 65 and over, and passengers with disabilities. Children under 13 travel for free with an adult in the off peak hours.

There are also weekend and family fares, see the website below for more details.

Fares are significantly cheaper if you travel from the next station, Hegewisch, but you have to pay to park there and you don't in Hammond.

Updated Oct 7, 2008

Website: http://www.nictd.com/

Related to:
 Trains

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Local Customs  

The Frosties

The Frosties, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  Every year on the darkest evening of the year (the winter solistice, December 21st), my husband leads a band of "Frosties" over the golf course and through the woods for a reading of the Robert Frost poem "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening". In 2010, Chicago Tribune... 

Finally I get a meaningful vote!

Finally I get a meaningful vote!, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  In the 19+ years that I have lived in Indiana, the 2008 Presidential primary in May and the general election in November were the 1st time that I actually had a chance to cast a meaningful vote in a Presidential election. There are two major flaws, in my opinion, with the... 

Tourist Traps  

Horseshoe Casino
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Horseshoe Casino

The State of Indiana followed the lunacy of Illinois by requiring that casinos be on the water, taking away yet more of the precious natural/recreational nature of Lake Michigan. This windowless boat never leaves the docks although I guess if you are a serious gambler that you probably don't care.

Originally the casinos had artificial "boarding" times but now there is open access 24 hours a day. At least they have dropped the pretense that this is a real boat.

The Marina just lost several of it's launching docks for day trip boaters causing quite a mess on the weekends, reportedly due to expansion for Horseshoe.

Unique Suggestions: Since it's here and not likely going away anytime soon, I suppose I should be encouraging visitors to come as the street in front of my house hasn't been repaved yet.....

I have heard from friends that the Jack Binion's Steakhouse here is really good but expensive but at least you are getting something for your money instead of just handing it over to Mr. Binion. Lunch is much more affordable than dinner, I suspect the high prices in the evening is due to comped meals, they want the gamblers to think they are getting something expensive.

Fun Alternatives: The alternative? Give me your money instead, Jack Binion (owner of Horseshoe) doesn't need it.

Updated Jan 17, 2005

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Off The Beaten Path  

WHITING PIEROGI FESTIVAL

WHITING PIEROGI FESTIVAL, Hammond

 LoriPori Says:  The WHITING PIEROGI FESTIVALwas held in dowtown Whiting, Indiana, a suburb of Hammond from July 28 to 30,2006. Kristi ( Dabs ) invited us to participate and even wanted Hansi as one of the Babushka Ladies. Hans was more than eager to participate, so I bought him a lacy red... 

Chihuly in Hammond?

Chihuly in Hammond?, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  In addition to the Leroy Neiman mural at Mercantile National Bank, Hammond also has several Chihuly chandeliers at the Federal Courthouse in downtown Hammond. I've been inside to have a look but have never had occasion to bring a camera. Maybe if you ask the guards really... 

Carlson Oxbox Park

Carlson Oxbox Park, Hammond

 riorich55 Says:  From the website first. "Hammond's newest city park, officially dedicated on Wednesday October 7th, 1998. The park is named for George W. Carlson, a thirty-year plus veteran of the Hammond City Council. Mr. Carlson was instrumental in the development of the park. The name... 

Sports & Outdoors  

Windsurfers

Windsurfers, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  Practically year round you can find the windsurfers out on Wolf Lake. With a few exceptions, motorized boats are not allowed on Wolf Lake so this is a perfect place for windersurfers. This picture was taken in March 2005, obviously at this time of the year you need a... 

Ice boating

Ice boating, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  You will frequently see ice boats out on Wolf Lake but my husband takes ours out on George Lake which is much smaller and also much shallower should the ice crack. Me? I don't think that having to cover every inch of my body and still end up being cold sounds like all that... 

Favorites  

Local wildlife

Local wildlife, Hammond

 Dabs Says:  Living next to a lake, we see a variety of local wildlife along the shores including swans, geese, egrets, herons and snakes sunning themselves on the 1st warm days of spring. I've seen a few really cool critters when out walking the bike path, one day I saw a red fox slip... 

STATE BANK OF HAMMOND - 1927

STATE BANK OF HAMMOND - 1927, Hammond

 LoriPori Says:  The best example of the Neo-classical style of architecture remaining in the city is the STATE BANK OF HAMMOND building. Located near the southwest corner of the intersection of Calumet Avenue and Sibley streets, (5444-5446 Calumet Avenue) the building, designed by architect... 

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Map of Hammond